Is my child dyslexic?

What might the symptoms be?

When a child struggles with reading, writing, spelling, and sometimes even speaking, it is possible that the problem is due to dyslexia. The common signs listed below do not necessarily mean that a child displaying them has this learning disability. However, if a child continues to display difficulty over time in the areas listed below, testing for dyslexia should be considered.

Understanding that words are made up of sounds
Assigning correct sounds to letters
Correct pronunciation of sounds and words
Spelling
Learning basic sequential information (alphabet, numbers)
Reading with age-appropriate speed, accuracy and comprehension
Learning numbers, facts
Answering open-ended questions (math or word problems)
Organizing thoughts, time, or a sequence of tasks

Who do I talk to first? How do we get a diagnosis?

Talk to your child’s school first. Read some good books about dyslexia. A formal evaluation by trained professionals must be conducted to diagnose dyslexia. Sometimes a child’s school is able to conduct the necessary testing, and sometimes testing needs to be done by outside specialists (at a hospital or through a clinical psychologist). Organizations such as the Dyslexia Institute of Indiana and Riley Developmental Pediatrics can help locate a specialist in your area. For additional resources contact us!

Find a Clinical Professional

If you are having trouble finding a clinical professional in the Central Indiana area, please reach out to us and we can help you in your search.

If my child is dyslexic, how do I to enroll him or her in the Children's Dyslexia Center program?

Formal testing must be conducted before contacting the Children’s Dyslexia Center. Once this evaluation is completed, the parent should locate the nearest center, then contact the Center Director, who will send an application to be completed and returned with supporting information.

What we Do

What We Do

Our dedicated educators make a difference in the lives of children with dyslexia every day through their work. The mission of each Dyslexia Center has three components:

STUDENT EDUCATION & SUPPORT

Provide the highest quality, state-of the art, multisensory tutorial reading and written language instruction to children with dyslexia;

EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION

Train tutors in the art, science and practice of tutoring children using the Orton-Gillingham approach to multisensory teaching of reading, spelling and writing;

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Advance the body of scientific knowledge of dyslexia through support of clinical research, to improve today's standards and tomorrow's care.

Help For Children

Our clinical program is independent of public school procedures. We serve children in grades 1-12 from many different educational backgrounds. On average, children admitted to the program attend for two years. The children receive one-on-one instruction twice a week after school. This allows for the curriculum to be tailored to each individual child’s needs. Often this instruction improves the child’s self-confidence, self-esteem, and approach to learning.

We take pride in the fact that our clinical model incorporates the latest scientific research in the field of reading and spelling, dyslexia, and dyslexia remediation. We are structured and funded to serve a specific population: children with dyslexia. We require a psychoeducational assessment done outside of our centers, since we do not evaluate children. It is not required the child have a diagnosis of dyslexia. The provided evaluation helps us to target children who meet the diagnostic profile of dyslexia.

The admission application and the psychoeducational evaluation help us determine if our reasoning-based approach would be appropriate for the child. Our professional staff are specifically trained to work with children with dyslexia. They are only qualified to provide instruction for this type of learning difficulty. Contact us for further information and to request a Child Admission Application.

Multisensory Instruction

Training

The Children’s Dyslexia Centers follow an Orton-Gillingham based, multisensory structured language education (MSLE) approach. Instruction is direct, systematic, cumulative, diagnostic and prescriptive. Concepts are introduced using simultaneous, multisensory (VAKT) techniques. Children are taught to analyze words using synthetic and analytic strategies.

ACCREDITED TRAINING COURSES

The Children’s Dyslexia Center MSLE training program is accredited for its Teaching, Instructor of Teaching, Therapy, and Instructor of Therapy levels by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC©). School teachers and other qualified individuals can receive training and continuing education credits to become certified in our IMSLEC© accredited courses.

Applicants for our IMSLEC© accredited Initial Course must hold a Bachelor’s Degree or higher. This course takes a minimum of nine months. Trainees must complete a minimum of 100 hours of supervised practicum, course readings, and assignments. Successful completion of our MSLE Initial Course leads to certification as a Dyslexia Practitioner 1.

Trainees successfully completing our Initial course may apply for further training in our Advanced Course that leads to certification as a Dyslexia Practitioner 2. Trainer recommendation is required to participate in our Supervisor Course, Therapy Course, and Instructor Level Courses.

Please contact us for more information about our training courses.

Outreach

Outreach Opportunities

Our Centers have become resources in their communities. Many Center Directors receive requests to talk to local groups about dyslexia, the type of intervention we provide to children, and how we train qualified individuals in this intervention. Contact us for more information about possible outreach opportunities.